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Thirteen (House)

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"Thirteen"
File:Thirteen- House - copia.jpg
First appearance"The Right Stuff"
Portrayed byOlivia Wilde
In-universe information
OccupationPhysician: Diagnostic medicine fellow (Season 4)

"Thirteen" is a currently unnamed fictional character on the Fox medical drama House. She is portrayed by Olivia Wilde. She is part of the new diagnostic team compiled by Gregory House after the en-masse departure of his previous team in the third season finale "Human Error". Her character is portrayed as secretive, so much so that few of her fellow doctors know her name, electing to call her "Thirteen" instead, her number during the fellowship competition that House ran between "The Right Stuff" and "Games".

Characterization

"Thirteen" has been slow to reveal any information about herself within the show. House often guesses her personal history, such as "daughter of an alcoholic father", and Thirteen repeatedly says that he is "wrong again." In "Mirror Mirror", a patient who mirrors the most dominant personality present describes himself as "scared" when alone with her. In the eighth episode of the fourth season, "You Don't Want to Know", "Thirteen" tells House that her mother died from Huntington's chorea, but she does not wish to know if she carries the gene, because not knowing allows her to summon the bravery to do things she thinks she can't do.

A running gag in the story is that "Thirteen" is allegedly a closeted bisexual. In "Don't Ever Change", Foreman suggests to "Thirteen" that the reason for her secrecy is that she is bisexual. In "No More Mr. Nice Guy," House calls her "Thirty-One," saying, "I thought either way was good for you." "Thirteen" has never confirmed nor denied this allegation, although in "Living the Dream," while watching a soap opera with her colleagues, "Thirteen" says out loud, in reference to one of the actresses playing a nurse on the program, "I think I dated that nurse once." It is not made clear whether this remark is made in jest or seriously. In "Living the Dream", she states that she may have dated the nurse on the show but doesn't remember.

Biography

In her first appearance, all fellowship applicants were identified by number, and she so far has chosen to stick with her designated number even among her fellow team members. In "97 Seconds", "Thirteen" correctly diagnoses a collapsing and disabled patient with Strongyloides, and treats him with ivermectin, but the patient fails to take the pills because his English Shepherd mobility assistance dog eats them, causing the death of not only the patient but the dog as well. House chastises her about not supervising the patient taking the medicine, but does not fire her because he felt she would not make another mistake.

At the end of the fellowship competition, she was fired ostensibly because fellow applicants Chris Taub and Lawrence Kutner outperformed her. However, she is rehired because House manipulated hospital administrator Lisa Cuddy, who wanted at least one female doctor on the team.[1]

Concept and creation

Along with fellow actors Peter Jacobson, Kal Penn, and Anne Dudek, Wilde did not know which character would be cut until the actors were given the scripts, which she thought improved the acting during the "Games" story arc. However, the story arc inspired a spirit of camaraderie between the actors instead of competition, due to the high-profile roles. While Thirteen's name was originally intended to be revealed during the story arc, the production team decided against doing so. "Thirteen"'s actual name was on all documents, including the call sheets, with the word "Thirteen" to further the in-joke in the show's narrative between House and "Thirteen" that he could simply check her file to find out her name. Wilde describes "Thirteen" as a "big bowl of secrets", one such being the possibility of the character having Huntington's disease, in stark comparison to her own openness.[2]

"Thirteen" has often been compared with Allison Cameron, the previous female diagnostician, often negatively,[3][4][5] even by Cameron's actor, Jennifer Morrison.[6] Wilde described "Thirteen" as "almost the opposite" to Cameron, who is "compassionate and emotional", and explained the comparisons to the similarity in the tasks that House delegates to both characters, and that "with two girls on a show, people are always going to compare them."[2]

References

  1. ^ Writer: Eli Attie; Director: Deran Sarafian. "Games". House. Season 4. Episode 9. FOX. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b Radish, Christina (2008-02-05). "Olivia Wilde joins House's team". MediaBlvd. Retrieved 2008-02-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ Doyle, Chelsea (2008-02-08). "'House': The Slightly Suggestive Friendship Between House & Wilson Is Explored". StarPulse. Retrieved 2008-02-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ Smith, Nina (2008-01-29). "House is back! Olivia Wilde, aka "Thirteen," has the scoop". Retrieved 2008-02-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |publihser= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ Greengrass, Mara (2008-01-30). "Review: House MD: "It's a Wonderful Lie"". Firefox news. Retrieved 2008-02-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ De Leon, Kris (2008-01-15). "Jennifer Morrison gives her diagnosis on her House character". BuddyTV. Retrieved 2008-02-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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